NYC Officials Condemn Cablevisionís Illegal Firings

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CWAers call on New York City's city council to hold Cablevision accountable for labor violations.

New York City's elected officials are lobbing criticism at Cablevision for unjustly firing 22 workers attempting to use the company's "open-door" policy last month.

During a hearing on Tuesday, city council members dug into whether Cablevision's mistreatment of 22 Brooklyn Cablevision-Optimum workers violated its franchise agreement with the city. The agreement requires the company to "recognize the right of its employees to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing in accordance with applicable law."

"The company is engaging in textbook union busting," Councilman Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn) said during the hearing, according to Newsday.

Meanwhile, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is urging the NBA to hold its 2015 All-Star Game at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn — not Madison Square Garden, which is owned by Cablevision CEO James Dolan.

In an open letter to the NBA, de Blasio wrote, "A corporation crosses the line when it subjects its employees to unfair treatment and summary termination without just cause. We have a responsibility to stand up to such injustices — not reward them with the privilege of hosting an event as popular and prestigious as the 2015 NBA All-Star game. Cablevision — a company that has a franchise agreement — has refused to bargain in good faith, and this anti-worker stance is an affront to our values as New Yorkers."

He added, "Choosing Barclays over Madison Square Garden will send a clear message that we will stand up for working people, right here in New York City, and everywhere else."